Jayden Daniels says why he doesn’t like the Lamar Jackson comparisons

Ahead of their matchup on Sunday, Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t buying into the comparisons to Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson.

“I don’t like it when people really try to compare me to Lamar and vice versa,” Daniels said Wednesday, per Ben Standig of The Athletic . “We’re two different players… I’m not that close, I always want to be able to grow, but at the end of the day, I want to be known as Jayden Daniels and not the next so-and-so. .”

Jackson, a two-time MVP, isn’t a fan of the comparisons either.

“(Daniels) is his own player, (and) he’s his own man, at the end of the day,” Jackson said Wednesday, via the team’s website’s Ryan Mink . “We’re just trying to make a name for ourselves, not for anybody else, so I’m okay with that, definitely.”

While Jackson and Daniels insist they are different, their playing styles and resumes are similar.

Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy at LSU, passing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,134 yards and 10 scores. Jackson won the 2016 Heisman at Louisville, throwing for 3,543 yards and 30 TDs. He also rushed for 1,571 yards and 21 scores.

No. 2 overall pick Daniels became the only player to pass for at least 1,000 yards and rush for more than 250 yards in his first five starts, via NFL.com reporter Dante Koplowitz-Fleming. In 2019, Jackson became the first player to throw for over 3,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards.

Both are MVP candidates. As of Wednesday night, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Jackson the third-best odds (+650) to win the award, while Daniels has the fifth-best (+1100).

Daniels probably has more to gain on Sunday. If he leads Washington (4-1) to a win away from Baltimore (3-2), that should help the 23-year-old stand out.